It is odd, rear pads generally last at least two sets of front pads. (In a hard stop, more than 90% of the braking is being done by the front brakes. In fact there is a device called a proportioning valve which reduces the pressure to the rear brakes to reduce the chance of lockup which would activate the ABS.)
What was the reason you needed rear pads? Excess wear? Was it warranteed?

It never reached the sensors, but the computer said they were due soon (don't remember how many miles left...maybe 1000, maybe 2000), so my SA had it done under warranty while I was there for something else. I certainly wasn't going to complain about getting free pads.

I don't know if they looked at them and found that there were actual worn down....just one of those "computer said so" type of things I guess.

He didn't seem surprised and said it was common for the rears on these cars to wear out first.

I actually got the same story on my old VW jetta. Rears wore out way before the fronts, and the mechanic also said it was common for those cars.